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Celebrate Christmas in the country this season...with Julie Nutting doll stamps by Prima.

These doll stamps are easy for kids and adults to use and are quite charming. I'll show you how you can make a fun and unique card. Whether you are a city slicker, a suburban dweller or country folk, I know you'll love customizing these doll stamps.

Here are some close ups

So how did I make this?

I used Prima's Julie Nutting doll stamps , Becky, to create this. She 's just darling.

Stamp Becky onto watercolor paper. I like using the Prima stamp block when I am working with the Julie Nutting doll stamps. I find the handle really helps to stamp a clear and crisp image - and also makes it easier to stamp the entire image while not cutting off legs or arms.

A non-stick craft mat will help keep your work area clean and ink free. There are a few great mats I recommend; Ken Oliver's mat called The Best Craft Mat Ever, or Ranger's Non-Stick Craft Sheet. A good craft mat is a "must have" for any craft area.

For this particular doll, I am going to cut out clothing from patterned paper. I stamped the hat, boots, blouse and several skirts. I want to make a nice full cowgirl skirt for this little darlin' so I need a bunch of skirt images stampped and cut.

Cut out the doll and all the pieces of clothing. Ink the edges of everything with warm brown Tim Holtz Vintage Photo distress ink. The inked edges add to the country charm.

Time to dress Cowgirl Becky - here are some tips on creating a full skirt

Add the shirt. Notice the gently inked edges.

I thought Becky would look darling with a longer and fuller skirt. That's why I stamped and cut multiple skirt images. Glue two skirt pieces together and layer them a littler lower on the doll stamp.

The second layer will be an accent layer. I like using a different pattern or a solid color for the second layer. It seems to look more like a ruffle on the skirt.

I added a thin strip of foam tape to the second layer to give the skirt some dimension.

Here is the finished skirt.

Next - it's time to color her hair and skin if you wish. Watercolor pencils are perfect for this! And if you use water color pencils, the watercolor brush helps blend these nicely.

After this, you can finish dressing Becky with her hat and boots.

Special Tip: When usingwatercolor pencils, it's best not to color the whole image like you would with crayons or colored pencils. The watercolor pencil is very pigmented and will get darker once the water is added. My suggestion is to go light at first. If you are not satisfied, you can always add more color.

Creating the Tree

The tree stamp from Julie Nuttings Stamp Set- Sugar Plums is perfect for my project. I created the tree using the same technique as I used for the skirt - lots of layers and foam tape for dimension. I accented the tree using Vintage Photo Distress ink and Crushed Olive Distress Ink.

Here you can see the foam tape and the layers glues together.

Make sure you pinch the top of the tree flat.

Add a little extra shading to the edges of the tree and the doll.

Moving on to the actual card.

Select the pattered papers you want. I used Prima's Stationer's Desk for a few reasons. It is not a seasonal paper, however has some rich reds and creams which work well with a country Christmas look. That means this collection can be easily adapted for Christmas and then used throughout the year. That's a great bargain.

I layered the patterned papers over a pre-folded card. And yes, I inked the edges of everything.

Add a beautiful gold foil doily to the layers. Beacons 3-in-1 glue is really great for this because it doesn't warp the foil doily.

I'd like to create a custom sentiment for my card and have it blend perfectly. This is very easy to do. Print a sentiment on normal printer paper and ink with distress ink till it matches the card.

Printer paper is usually super thin. For this reason, it doesn't glue nicely to the card - it tends to ripple, tear or warp. However, if you use Transparent (clear drying) Soft Matte Gel Medium as glue, you will have a nice smooth finish. I love to use Soft Matte Gel Medium for this purpose.

Dab some gel medium onto the card. While it looks white, I promise it does dry clear.

Place the paper sentiment over the Gel Medium, and top the sentiment with Gel Medium. This adheres perfectly and permanently without rippling and warping.

You can also use the Gel Medium to adhere micro beads here and there as accents.

Finishing touches include crystals placed as desired on the tree and on Cowgirl Becky - followed by Stickles Glitter glue for additional accents.